Toward practical application of solar hydrogen
Our mission
We study particulate photocatalysts and reaction systems for sunlight-driven water splitting toward practical application of solar hydrogen. We have focused on oxynitride, nitride, and oxysulfide semiconductor material since the very beginning and have been developing them as photocatalysts for water splitting. Some of these materials absorb sunlight sufficiently and have band structures suitable for photocatalytic water splitting. We investigate the correlation among preparation methods, physical properties, and functionality of photocatalysts to improve their performance. We are also involved in the development of reaction systems suitable for large-scale application by taking advantage of the properties of particulate materials. Through these studies, we will contribute to solving energy and environmental problems.
News
- Original research paper published in ACS Energy Lett. (Electrochemical Identification of Surface States Limiting Overall Water Splitting in Particulate Oxynitride Photocatalysts)
- Original research paper published in Chem. Lett. (Facile and scalable synthesis of Y2O2S nanoparticles via Y(OH)3 precursor preparation and CS2 sulfurization)
- Prof. Kazunari Domen and Prof. Takashi Hisatomi selected as Highly Cited Researchers 2025 by Clarivate
- Original research paper published in Dalton Trans. (Sr-doped LaTiO2N Photocatalyst for Hydrogen Evolution Reaction Synthesized from Perovskite-type La-Ti Oxide Nanoparticles)
- Original research paper published in Chem. Sci. (Z-scheme overall water splitting on photocatalyst sheet mediated by carbon nanotubes using oxysulfide photocatalyst responsive to long wavelengths)
- Original research paper published in J. Am. Chem. Soc. (Long-Lived Hole Accumulation in Al:SrTiO3/Rh–Cr Photocatalyst Systems under Continuous Irradiation and Its Correlation with Overall Water Splitting Efficiency)
- Book chapter published in Unlocking the Future of Renewable Energy and Chemistry through Catalysis (From lab to large-scale devices for producing solar fuels)
- Review article published in Nat. Rev. Mater. (Materials and systems for large-scale photocatalytic water splitting)
- Original research paper published in J. Phys. Chem. Solids (Detailed study of defect layer at the surface of BaTaO2N: a potential candidate for visible light photocatalytic water splitting)
- Original research paper published in EES Solar (Photocatalyst sheet performance under intense UV irradiation and increased temperatures)